Fabregas favoured to stay at Arsenal by bookmakers

LONDON, UK - Bookmakers believe Cesc Fabregas will not leave Arsenal before the start of the season - but it`s far from a certainty. William Hill offer odds of 8/11 (bet £11 to make £8 profit) that Fabregas stays at the Emirates and Evens (bet £10 to make £10 profit) that he leaves.

The Spanish striker, who impressed in the World Cup final but was not a core member of the Spanish starting eleven, is known to be keen to move to Barcelona but is still under contract at Arsenal. It is thought that Arsene Wenger is keen to hold on to Fabregas for at least one more season although the Arsenal board would probably feel obliged to let him move if Barca can afford more than a £35 million transfer fee.

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell is understood to have met Wenger, who has been in South Africa commentating on the World Cup for French television, in Johannesburg and tried to calm the storm around the transfer.  Previous Barca president Joan Laporta had infuriated Wenger with his very public pursuit of Fabregas and Rosell is understood to have said he would prefer for all negotiations to be discussed secretly and out of the media spotlight.

If Fabregas does leave Sky Bet are close to certain he will join Barcelona, offering odds of 1/8 that he ends up there. Real Madrid are 20/1 to get his signature, while Manchester City at 50/1, Chelsea at 66/1 and Liverpool at 100/1 are all highly unlikely destinations for Cesc.

Other potential Wenger targets include Joe Cole, who is 9/4 with Sky Bet to move to the Emirates, and Robert Green, who is also 9/4 with Sky Bet to sign up with the Gunners. Stephen Ireland is 7/2 to join the club, Brede Hangeland is 3/1, while Sky Bet`s outsiders are Mario Balotteli at 20/1 and Steven Gerrard at 25/1.

Arsenal are best priced at 7/1 with Paddy Power, Betfred and Sky Bet to win the Premiership this season.

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